This invention relates generally to the field of telecommunications services and systems and in particular to a wireless multi-media messaging communications method and apparatus.
Communications services have become increasingly varied and pervasive in recent years due, in large part, to their great utility and convenience. Their impact on contemporary life cannot be overstated.
One such communications servicexe2x80x94the Voice Messaging Service (VMS), is one example of one of these useful communications services. In particular, a VMS receives voice messages when a called party is unavailable. The received message is recorded and a notification, usually a lighted lamp, is given to the called party indicating that a message is present and waiting. Similarly, people have begun to communicate over data networks by sending electronic xe2x80x9cmailxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9ce-mailxe2x80x9d messages to one another. These messages arrive at a called party""s host computer and are queued waiting for the called party to request their presentation on the screen of a terminal connected to the host computer.
As can be readily appreciated, these systems are typically specific to a particular type of media, i.e., text or speech, but not both. Given the increasing use of multi-media forms of communication in everyday life, a continuing need exists for communications services and systems that support these multi-media communications (i.e., text, speech, fax, image, video) while at the same time facilitate the mobility of users of these systems and services.
An advance is made over the prior art in accordance with the principles of the present invention directed to a wireless multimedia messaging communications method and apparatus that provides simple multimedia messaging, active multimedia messaging and mediated world-wide-web access. Advantageously, the present invention permits a subscriber to a wireless communications service to receive and generate multimedia messages from known wireless personal communications devices, i.e., cellular telephones.
Viewed from one aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of providing wireless, multimedia communications service within a telecommunications network whereby a multimedia message may be received by the network and selectively delivered to a subscriber of the wireless service. Upon receipt of the message, the network determines an appropriate action to take with respect to the message based upon a profile of the subscriber. The subscriber is then notified by the network of the message and then delivers the message and any multimedia attachments to the message to the subscriber, according to a delivery indication sent by the subscriber to the network. Advantageously, the method allows for the conversion of messages as appropriate, i.e., text-to-speech, text-to-fax as well as providing gateways to varieties of multimedia information such as that found on the Internet.
Viewed from another aspect, the present invention is directed to an apparatus that supports the delivery of communications services incorporating the method.
Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing.